Dragline bucket



Sept. 3, 1935. V w A uc -3 2,013,276

DRAGLINE BUCKET Filed Aug. 50, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. MAL/9M 4 Va/s- ATT NEYS.

I Sept. 3, 1935.

Filed Aug. 30, 1954 W. A. LUCE DRAGLINE BUCKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. M4 L/AM 9. 4 uc/s A TT RNEYS.

Sept. 3, 1935, w uc 2,013,276

DRAGLINE BUCKET Filed Aug. 30, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y flwwa a w A TTOR S.

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 I 2 913 27 DRAGLINE BUCKET Application August so, 1934, Serial No. 742,065 Claims. (01. 37-125) My invention is primarily intended for usein secured to the frame in an articulating manner the handling of finely divided precious metal the entire weight of the bucket and frame may bearing substances such as sand, gravel, ocean be placed upon the bucket during the filling of beach sand and the like. the same.

5 The invention is comprised primarily of a roller And a still further object of my invention con- 5 supported fabricated frame having two or more sists in so constructing a drag line bucket having wheels disposed at either side of the frame and lines associated therewith that may be used as having one or more drums disposed at each of the haul back lines, as pulling lines, as sling lines oppositely disposed ends of the frame. A runand as trip lines, all of the lines may be handled 10 nor is disposed below the frame and runs longifrom a common prime mover and with a mini- 10 tudinally and at either side of the frame. The mum of labor and effort. runners are disposed below the sides of the A still further object of my invention consists frame. in providing a bucket that may be filled and one A tiltable bucket is disposed within the frame in whi h he fill d ma er m y be f ly an and it is disposed between the sets of wheels and p ed through Water through e S Ore line 15 drums. A door is disposed at the filling end of of the sea without loss of the material placed the bucket and a breather door is disposed at the within the bucket during the filling operation of rear end of the bucket. A main pull line is sethe same. cured to the front end of the bucket and is at- A s ill f r h r object f my inv ntion consists tached thereto by suitable hitching means. The in s ns u t n the frame a d t sup s 20 main pull lines pass through suitable guideways therefor that the load may be transferred from disposed upon the front end of the frame and the h h s Of the Supports directly o the ucket same are so located that a crowding action is a the Will of the Operatorimparted to the bucket during the period of pull With these and incidental objects in View, the

in which the bucket is being filled with mateinvention consists in certain novel features of rials. A haul back line is disposed at the rear of on n n Combination of p h the bu ket. The haul b ck lin is e u d di t sential elements of which are set forth in the aply to a bridle and in the hauling back of the aspended Claims, and Pi preferred o m O embodisembled device the breather door and the door merit of Which is h e na er Shown with referdisposed at the front end of the bucket are pref- 61106 to the drawings Which pa y and fOIm 30 erably in a closed position. a part of this specification.

A trip line is also secured to the bridle to which In the drawings! t h b k lin s tt h The purpose and Fig. 1 is a perspective side view of the assembled object of the trip line is to open the respective device Shown in position for the fi g 0f the doors and to place the bucket in position for bee 35 mg filled n for raising th frame and drums- Fig. 2 is a side view of the assembled device i1- clear of the surface in order that the bucket may lust-rating the Same as being Supported upon the ride directly upon the media from which th side wheels and illustrating all of the doors of the terial is to be dug and placed within the bucket. bucket as being Closed, Which p s t on I have 40 T facilitate th tripping f th bu k t I pr found best results are to be obtained when the 40 vide line supporting eyes in either side n 1; bucketis returned by the haul back line to the either end of the bucket to which any suitable. Point Of loadingsling may be attached of suificient dimension and 3 is a p plan w Of the mechanism strength to facilitate the raising of the entire illustrated in 2 and the bucket in the pOSiassembled device when filled to facilitate the tiOn relative to the frame as illustrated in Fig. 2.

releasing of the materials therefrom through the 4 is frflgmentary d tai ed Side View of an action of gravity. 7 adjusting means for predetermining the relative The primary object of my invention consists in location of the bucket to the frame during the providing a bucket that may be used in swift filling operation. This adjus in means flowing water, along the ocean beaches and in determines the amount of thickness of the slice 50 any and all places where materials are to be of the material that is to be crowded into the handled in commercial quantities and at low cost. bucket during the filling operation.

A further object of my invention consists in I preferably f rm my device of structural side providing a drag line bucket that is supported frame members I and 2. These side frame within a suitable frame and the bucket being so members may be made hollow and air-tight. It 55 the high point of the frame assembly as in cross yoke 9 that is preferably made hollow and V the frame light through buoyancy. To accomplish the predetermination of the frame weight I provide a filler plug 3A that may be placed in the its interior communicating with the interior of the side frames I and 2. I provide one or more bleeder cocks l on the underside of each of the side frame members I and 2; through which means the frame may be filled or partly filled with a liquid. This provides simple and efficient 7 means for predetermining the weight that may be placed upon'the bucket during the filling operation or to provide means for lessening the weightthat is to be applied to the bucket during the filling operation where the same is being operated over unstable ground.

Supporting wheels 5, here shown as four in number, are rotatably disposed at either side of the assembled device. The frontpair of wheels are supported in suitable journals upon stub shafts 6. The rear pair of wheels are journaled upon an axle ISA that extends transversely of the frame. In some instances it may be found desirable to place drums l at the opposite ends of the frame to facilitate the transporting of the device across unstable ground. These drums are adjustably secured at their respective ends to the frame by any suitable brackets 8. Where the device is being used in a stable media as hard pan or cement gravel it may be found desirable to remove the drums and the brackets from the device.

The side frame members I and Z are secured together by suitable cross supports. I place a cross support It at the rear of the device and the same is made sufficiently strong to place a support II thereupon that has a block or eye I2 secured thereto through which the haul back line I3 passes. A cross yoke I4 is secured between the front end of the side frame members. The cross yoke I i preferably extends upwardly from the top side of the front end of the side frame members in sufficient amount to permit a free passage of material therethrough and to permit the same to flow directly into the bucket during the digging and filling operation. A third cross yoke, 9 upwardly extends from the side frame members I and 2 and the same is disposed between the, cross frame members It and I4.

A bucket I5 is disposed between the side frame members I and 2. The bucket is hinged at its rear end to a cross support, as the axle I5A to which one of the pair of supporting side wheels are journaled. The bucket may be hingedly secured to any suitable cross brace that may be provided for that or for other purposes. The front end of the bucket .is floating. The front end of the bucket normally rides upon any suitable supports as camming surfaces that may be utilized for the positioning of the cutting lip of the bucket during the digging and filling operation of the same. A filler door [6 is hingedly secured to the front end of the bucket. This door is hinged to the body of the bucket by any suitable hinging means as through the action of a-hingepin I8 that runs transversely of the bucket. The ends of th hinge pin pass through suitable journaling ears secured to the sides of the bucket. Links I9 are disposed at either side of the bucket. The rear end of each of the links I9 is secured to a bridle 2G. The front end of each of the links is secured to the door I6 between the hinged end of the door and the lip end 2! of the door and as the bridle is manipulated through the haul back line 53 and the trip line 22 the door may be opened or closed. The front ends of the links I9 are secured to the door by any suitable hinging connection as through the medium of a shaft 23. The lower ends of the bridle 2!! are inwardly turned to form arms 28A that are disposed at right angles to the side arms of the bridle and' cam 2GB is secured thereto. A lug 30 outwardly extends from the edge of each arm of the bridle adjacent the journaled ends of the arms, to which the links I9 are hingedly secured.

The device is pulled to the point of loading by application of pulling pressure to the haul back line l3. When the device has been pulled thereby to the point of loading, pressure'is then applied to the trip line 22 and the bridle 28 is raised into theposition as illustrated in Fig. l. A chain 26 is secured upon its one end to a cross bar 25 that is secured transversely of the side bars of the bridle 2!]. The oppositely disposed end of the chain 25 is secured to the venting door 26. The venting door 26 is hingedly secured to a chest 2? that upwardly extends from the rear end of the bucket I5 and as the bridle ispulled forward an opening 28 is created in the top side of the chest, this prevents the trapping of the air or water in the bucket in the filling operation. A further movement of the bridle 28 is limited by the links I9 raising the filling door I6 to the limit of its opening. One end of each of the side bars of the bridle Ell is hingedly secured to any suitable hinge pin 29 that is journaled within blocks 200 that upwardly extend from the top side of the side frame members I support It disposed upon the rear end of the.

frame. Simultaneously with the application of pulling pressure to the haul back line I3 the doors I5 and 26 respectively are closed.

When it is desired to load the bucket the trip line 22 that is secured upon its one end to the link SI and upon its opposite end to any drum, nigger or other pulling winch has sufficient pull-- ing pressure applied to raise the frame independently of the bucket and to place the weight of the frame upon the bucket. A pulling pres sure is then applied to'the lines 33 and 35. The lines 33 and 34 pass through suitable blocks, or

' eyes 35 and are secured upon one of their ends weight of the frame upon the bucket assembly. I

The amount of crowding action may be predetermined by 'th'e selective locating of a cross bar- 31 within stop supports 38 that are disposed within the oppositely disposed sides of the cross support 9. The cross bar 31 by being selectively positioned between the supports 38 predetermines the depth to which the bucket will dig. It will be seen that as the bridle 20 is raised, rotation of the cam 20B will cause the front end of the bucket to be lowered. The cutting edge 39 of the bucket is made of suitable hardened material and the same is reinforced by spaced teeth 4i that are disposed upon the upper side of the cutting lip of the bucket.

Where the device is to be used in extremely soft material it may be found desirable to place runners 4| and 2 at either side of the frame and to run the same longitudinally of the frame and adjacent the pairs of wheels disposed upon the oppositely disposed sides of the frame. It may even be found desirable where runners of this kind are used to remove the wheels 5 from the frame. The runners 4| and 42 are secured at their respective ends to the ends of the frame members I and 2 and extend in spaced relation with the under side of the side frames.

After the bucket has been filled pulling pressure is then released upon the trip line 22 to thereby permit the doors [6 and 26 to close through the action of gravity. If for any reason the front door fails to close the same may be forcibly closed by pulling the haul back line l3. When the bucket has been pulled to the point of dump by the main haul lines 33 and 34 it may then be hoisted by sling lines 43 and 44, 45 and 45 and be then conveyed by over-head line to the point of dump. When the lines 45 and 46 are released. and the door It opened by exerting a pull on the line 22 the materials within the bucket are permitted to flow therefrom out of the filling door I6. To prevent a partial vacuum within the bucket during the dumping operation the trip line 22 may be manipulated and the doors It and 25 be opened to their full capacity.

I preferably extend the rear axle beyond the Wheels at either end in order that the extended portion of the axle may be made to ride supporting members that are provided at the dump to support the device. In doing so the front of the device will be permitted to follow into the hopper or other receiving space and the loaded device will assume a longitudinal vertical position. Simultaneously therewith the trip line may be actuated to open the respective doors to permit the outward free flowing of the contents of the bucket. If substantial speed is imparted to the bucket at the time of arrival at the dump the material in the bucket will be shocked at the sudden up ending of the bucket and. the same will be violently thrown from the bucket to thereby free the bucket from its contents. The application of pulling pressure to the haul back line returns the bucket to its normal horizontal position.

While I have here shown my device as being largely made from structural shapes welded together, I do not wish to be limited to this form of construction as the device may be made of any suitable material and of any suitable shape and dimension to meet the requirements of the service to which the same is to be put.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a hollow fabricated frame, means for predetermining the weight of the frame, wheels disposed at either side of the frame, and drums disposed at either end of the frame, a bucket disposed within the frame, the rear end of the bucket being hingedly mounted relative to the frame, the front end of the bucket being mounted within the frame and adjustably supported upon camming surfaces, power means for manipulating the cams and for raising and lowering the bucket within the frame, doors disposed at either end of the bucket, power means for opening the doors, means for predetermining the crowding action on the filling end of the bucket while the same is being filled, and a main haul line secured to the bucket, a haul back line secured to the frame, a trip line and hoisting lines.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, means for filling and draining the frame with a fluid, wheels and a runner associated with the frame and disposed at either side of the frame, roller supports removably disposed at either end of the frame, a bucket disposed within the frame, one end of the bucket being hingedly supported and the other end of the bucket being floating, means for power lifting the floating end of the bucket, doors disposed at either end of the bucket, means for power actuating the doors, each independently, a haul back line, a main drag line, a trip line and lifting lines associated with the assembly.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fabricated frame, cross supports connecting the side frames together, said frame elements being hollow and air tight, means for filling and draining the interior of the frame, rolling supports disposed at either end and at either side of the frame, a bucket hingedly disposed between the side frame members, a filler door disposed at one end of the bucket and a venting door disposed at the other end of the bucket, means for crowding the filling end of the bucket into the material to be dug, means for actuating each of the doors into open and into closed position, and hauling and lifting lines associated with the assembly.

4. The combination in a digging and conveying device comprised of an air tight fabricated frame, means for admitting liquids into the frame and for draining liquids therefrom to predetermine the weight of the frame, a bucket hingedly disposed Within the frame, means for supporting the bucket within the frame, means for placing the combined weight of the frame upon the bucket and means for pulling the assembly either forward or backward and for lifting the same in a vertical direction and for tilting the same while lifted.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fabricated frame, means for predetermining the weight of the frame, a bucket hingedly supported with the frame upon one of its ends, power means for tilting the floating end of the bucket relative to the frame, rolling supports for the frame, doors disposed at either end of the bucket, power means for opening the doors, a main power line secured to the front end of the bucket, a haul back line indirectly secured to the rear end of the frame, a trip line for tilting the bucket and sling lines for raising the assembly and for dumping the bucket.

WILLIAM A. LUCE. 

